Cigarette lighter



Dec. 11, 1934. 1., K. DAVIS CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed June 29, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Lincoln Davis Dee 11, 193

L. K. DAVIS CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed June 29, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

My invention relates particularly to electrically actuated lighters.

One object is to provide a construction which can be made rugged, reliable, simple and compact.

Another object is to provide a construction which is capable of embodiment in various attractive and ornamental designs suitable for use on the table, or the like.

Another object is to provide a construction which can be readily mounted and used in a vehicle or a boat.

Another object is to provide an electric lighter with simple means for forcing air through the cigarette at the instant of lighting.

I have shown the invention as embodied in three somewhat different forms. In each case there is a housing provided with an igniter located within a chamber in the housing, which igniter is accessible through an opening. In addition to the igniter I provide additional resistance within the chamber which serves to heat and expand the air within the chamber when the current is on. The expelled air passes through the cigarette and serves not only to stimulate combustion but to force smoke outwardly through the unlighted end of the cigarette and thus indicate that the cigarette has been lighted. A switch may be mounted in the casing for turning on and oiT the current to the igniter and heater.

In one form of device the casing is provided with a flexible wall or diaphragm connected to the switch actuating member so that by the act of closing or opening the switch the diaphragm may be moved to expel or draw in air through the opening in the cigarette.

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of one form of device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view 01' the bottom of the casing with the bottom plate removed.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the igniter unit.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the switch.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of a modified form of the device embodying my invention.

Fig. 6 is a view of the under side of the top member or body of the casing of Fig. 5, and the attached parts.

Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional view of another modification of the device embodying my invention adapted for use in an automobile or the like.

The top 6, or main body of the casing, may be formed of any suitable material. for instance, moulded composition, bronze or other material.

The bottom plate '7 is secured in place in a suitable manner, as for instance by means of the single central screw 8.

Within the chamber 9 inside of the casing is mounted an igniter unit having the incandescible resistance coils 10 mounted immediately in line with the opening 11 for the cigarette. The igniter unit preferably consists of a suitable resistance wire arranged in coils threaded through an insulating strip 12 and having the opposite ends of the wire secured to eyelets 13 and 14. This unit can be readily attached to the top part of the casing by means of screws such as 15 and 16.

For convenience in installation and so forth, the device may be provided with terminal blades 1'7 and 18 adapted to fit into a standard type plug socket or receptacle.

I also prefer to provide a switch conveniently arranged for turning on and oil? the current through the igniter and the heater. This switch has stationary spring contact fingers 19 and 20 anchored to the body of the casing for instance by screws 21 and insulated from the body. The movable switch 22 is carried by a plug member 23 having an external insulating button 24. A spring 25 tends to hold the switch in the open circuit position.

The heater consists of two sections 26 and 2''! of suitable resistance wire. Section 26 has one end connected to the eyelet 13 which is attached to one end of the igniter unit and the other end of the heater wire is connected to the switch contact 19. The other heater section 27 has one end connected to the terminal plug 18 and the other end connected to the switch contact 20. These heater sections are suitably supported, for instance by insulating arms 28, each of which is secured to a stud 29 which depends from the under side of the casing member 6.

When the switch member is depressed it closes the circuit which may be traced through 1'7, l4, 10, 13, 15, 26, 19, 22, 20, 27 to 18. The current passing through the igniter unit heats it to incandescence and thus serves to ignite a cigarette inserted in the opening 11. The current passing through the heater sections 26 and 27 serves to quickly expand the air in the chamber 9 and expel it through the cigarette. This air being heated supplies additional oxygen for facilitating the ignition. As soon as the cigarette is lighted sufiiciently the smoke from the burning tip will be forced through the cigarette and escape from the upper free end thus indicating instantly when the cigarette has been lighted, whereupon the switch plunger will be released and the circuit automatically opened. As the resistance wire is quite fine, it cools very quickly so that as soon as the igniter circuit is de-energized the resistance wires begin to cool ofi and the air in the chamber accordingly contracts and fresh air is drawn into the casing, whereupon the device can be immediately used for lighting successive cigarettes in the same manner.

It will thus be seen that the device, while free of any moving parts except the switch'is able to furnish a draft of air for facilitating the lighting of the cigarette and at the same time serve as a smoke indicator.

In the form shown in Fig. 5 the casing is formed of two parts, one of which is substantially rigid and the other flexible, so as to provide a bellows action. In the form shown the main body or top portion 30, is formed of a casting or moulded part, in the form of a tray and the bottom plate 31 is formed of thin sheet metal whose rim is supported by a locking wire 32 in a groove in the inside of the body.

The igniter unit is formed in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 3 and consists of a number of small coils 33, having connecting members threaded through an insulating support 34. This insulating support is secured by screws 35 to the diaphragm 31 and to the disc 36 which may be of insulating material. The tubular member 37 has its lower end secured in the ring 36 and is reciprocable through the top part or body of the casing. This portion 3'? is provided with a passage 38 for the cigarette and is also provided with a platform or finger-piece 39', by which the'member 37 may be moved downwardly against the spring resistance of the diaphragm 31. i

This form of device has plug blades or terminals 40 and 41 adapted to be connected into a suitable source of power.

A resistance wire coil 42 has one end connected to the inner end of the terminal blade 40 and the otherend connected to a support 43 which in turn is connected by a wire 44 to a switch contact 45.- The coil 42 is supported by insulating arms 46 having their ends mounted in studs or pins 4? depending from the top member. Another resistance heater section 48 has one end connected to the terminal plug 41 and the other indirectly connected tothe switch contact 49. These two contacts and 49 are disposed in line with the switch arms 50 and 51, which are connected to the opposite. ends of the igniter wire.

Normally the spring of the diaphragm 31 holds the switch in the open circuit position, as shown in Fig. 5. When the tube 37 is pushed downwardly it carries with it the ring 36, the igniter unit and the switch arms 50 and 51, which simultaneously close the two branches of the circuit leading from the plug blades 40 and 41 to the igniter unit. When the plunger tube 37 is released, the spring action of the diaphragm 31 automatically opens the circuit on both sides, thus afiording a double break in the power circuit.

Of course as soon as the circuit is closed, current will flow through the heater sections 42 and 48 and through the igniter wire so that the air inside the casing is heated and expands and creates an'outward draft through the passage 38. A cigarette, being in place in the opening 38 with its lower end against the igniter unit, is automatically lighted. The finger piece is depressed and held for two or three seconds, allowing the igniter time to incandesce. The heater meanwhile expands the air and starts combustion.

The finger piece is then released, and the diaphragm forces more air through the cigarette thus completing the ignition. One movement is suflicient.

As soon as the cigarette is sufficiently lighted, smoke will rise from the upper end of the cigarette, thus indicating the completion of the operation. Movement of the plunger 3'7 up and down may serve to alternately expel and draw in air through the passage 38 independently of any heater. By making the switch arms 50 and 51 somewhat flexible it is possible to depress the plunger 37 and close the circuit and then continue the downward movement of the plunger so as to give added suction at the start of the operation. When the plunger 3'7 is released the diaphragm'31automatically rises and forces the air .upwardly. The switch arms 50 and 51 are preferably somewhat resilient and assist in lifting the plunger when it is released. In this form of device, therefore, it is possible to obtain a draft ofair through the igniting end of the cigarette regardless of the heating efiect produced by the resistance wires of sections 42 and 48. In the preferred form, however, the device provides not only the mechanical pulsation due to the diaphragm 31 but the expansion of air due to the heating of the resistance wire.

While I have shown the device in the form of a tray suitable for use horizontally on a table, it should be understood that it is also capable of being mounted vertically.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the cigarette can be readily lighted by one hand in the act of inserting the cigarette. The. same fingers which insert the cigarette in the opening 38 may press downwardly on the finger-piece 39 and thus connect the diaphragm or bellows and the electric switch.

In the form shown in Fig. 7 the casing 55 contains the heater coil 56, one end of which is connected to the terminal 57 and the other end connected to the insulated stud 58 which supports the stationary switch contact 59. The tubular plunger 60 is reciprocable in one Wall of the casing against the spring 61. The igniter coil 62 has one end connected to the plunger 60 which is grounded in the casing and the latter has a circuit terminal 63. The inner end of the coil 62 is connected to the movable switch member 64. The coil is mormted on an insulating piece 65 carried by the plunger and provided with air passages 66, so that air heated by the heater coil 56 can pass out through the igniter coil 62 when the switch is closed, thus stimulating combustion by the current of hot air through the cigarette in the recess 67.

Other modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having an opening for the introduction of a cigarette, said casing having a chamber whose only inlet and outlet is through said opening, an igniter unit mounted in the casing in line with said opening, a heater within the chamber in circuit with the igniter unit and a switch for simultaneously connecting the igniter unit and the heater in circuit whereby the air in the chamber is heated and expanded and forces a current of air outwardly through said opening to facilitate ignition and form a smoke indicator.

2. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having an opening therein for the insertion of a cigarette, said opening being of approximately of the same diameter as the cigarette and constituting the only effective exit for air from the casing, an igniter unit mounted in the casing in line with the opening, a heater within the casing and a switch having an operating member extending to the outside of the casing for turning on the igniter unit and the heater.

3. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having an opening for the introduction of a cigarette, said casing having a chamber whose only inlet and outlet are through said opening, an igniter unit mounted in the casing in line with said opening, a heater wire supported around the side of the chamber in series with the igniter unit and a switch for connecting the igniter unit and the heater in circuit whereby when the switch is closed the air in the casing is heated, the inserted cigarette is ignited, and the heated air is forced outwardly through the cigarette.

4. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having a body portion, a flexible bottom to the casing, an igniter unit supported by the bottom in the casing, switch arms connected to the terminals of the igniter unit, stationary contacts within the casing, a heater carried by the body of the casing and a tubular plunger serving to move the igniter unit and the switch arms and close the circuit through the heater.

5. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having an opening through one wall thereof, a tubular plunger movable through said opening and having a passage to snugly receive a cigarette, said passage serving as the only effective exit for air from the casing, an igniter coil mounted in the casing in line with the tubular member, a heater in the casing and a switch actuated by the said tubular member for turning on current through the igniter coil and the heater so that the air in the casing will be heated and forced out through the inserted cigarette.

6. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having an opening through one wall for the insertion of a cigarette, an igniter coil mounted in the easing in line with said opening, a heater coil suspended inside the casing and surrounding the igniter coil, and a switch for turning on current through the igniter coil and through the heater coil whereby the air in the interior of the casing is heated and expanded and forces a draught of air through said opening to stimulate combustion.

7. A housing having a chamber, a movable guide tube mounted in one wall of the housing to snugly receive a cigarette and constituting the sole exit for air from the housing, an igniter member in the housing at the inner end of the tube, a heater within the housing, a switch for controlling a circuit through the heater and the igniter and means of connection between the switch and the tube whereby the switch may be actuated by movement of the tube to close the switch and ignite an inserted cigarette and si multaneously force air outwardly through the same.

8. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having an opening for the insertion of the end of a cigarette, said opening constituting the only exit for air from said casing, an electric igniter unit mounted in the casing at the inner end of said opening, an electric heating element within the casing, and means for energizing the igniter unit and the heater unit at the same time, whereby heated air in the casing is forced outwardly through the cigarette while in the opening.

9. In a cigarette lighter, a housing having an air chamber, tubular guiding means for admitting one end of a cigarette into said chamber, said tubular guiding means constituting the only substantial outlet for air from said chamber and at least a part of said tubular guiding means being movable toward and from the chamber, an electrically heated igniter at the inner end of said tubular guiding means, electrically actuated means for forcing air from said air chamber out through said tubular guiding means and an electric switch for controlling the flow of current through said igniter and to said electrically actuated air forcing means, said switch having a portion connected to and movable with the movable part of the tubular guiding means so that the ignition and the air circulation outwardly through the cigarette are controlled by the movement of the movable part of the tubular guiding means.

10. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having an opening for the insertion of a cigarette, said opening constituting the only efiective exit for air from said casing, electric igniting means and air heating means mounted within the casing near the inner end of said opening, and means for energizing the igniting means and the heating means including a switch having an actuator close to the opening for insertion of the cigarette whereby air within the casing is heated and expanded and forced outwardly through an inserted cigarette to promote ignition of the latter.

11. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing having an opening for the insertion of the end of a cigarette, said opening constituting the only effective exit for air from said casing, an electric igniter unit mounted in the casing at the inner end of said opening, a heating element within the casing, and means for energizing the igniter unit and the heating element at the same time, whereby heated air in the casing is forced outwardly through the cigarette while in the opening.

12. A cigarette lighter comprising a container having a chamber with an opening in one wall to receive the end of a cigarette and to act as an air inlet to and the only effective exit from the chamber, air heating and cigarette igniting means mounted in the chamber for igniting the end of an inserted cigarette and for heating and expanding air within the chamber and forcing heated air out through the inserted cigarette, and a switch for controlling the circuit through the heating and igniting means.

LINCOLN K. DAVIS. 

